In engineering, particularly in electrical engineering, a large number of electrical connectors and connector receptacles of many different types are known. These serve to transmit electrical power and/or electrical signals with the widest possible range of voltages, currents, frequencies, and data rates. Furthermore, electrical connector and connector receptacle fulfill other functions. For damp, dusty, or chemically aggressive environments, electrical connectors and connector receptacles comprise sealing elements which prevent penetration of the surrounding media into the electrical connector and connector receptacle and corrosion thereof or the formation of conductive deposits therein. Securing elements such as screw threads or latches ensure a secure plug-and-socket connection, even if the plug-and-socket connection is exposed to mechanical tension or vibrations.
Due to the extremely wide range of applications and conditions of use, a wide variety of optimized electrical connectors are available. A relatively new field of use for electrical connectors is the transmission of drive power in an electrically driven motor vehicle. This drive power has to be transmitted between an energy storage means, for example a storage battery or a fuel cell, and a power converter such as a two or four-quadrant chopper and between the latter and the drive motor(s) in one or in both directions. Between the energy storage means and the power converter, the electrical power is transmitted substantially in the form of direct current. Between the power converter and the drive motors, the electrical power is transmitted, for example, as three-phase alternating current. Pulse-width modulation may be used to convert power in the power converter. The AC-voltage and the alternating current component, in particular, on transmission of power between the power converter and the motors, lead to the emission of electromagnetic interference signals which disturb other electrical and electronic systems inside and outside the vehicle. The emission of interference signals is prevented by shielding the conductors through which the electrical power is transmitted. This ensures a so-called electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
Motor vehicles with an electromotive drive existed until now only in the form of prototypes or short run models. For this reason, the electrical connectors which have been used in the power transmission area are those which are readily available but are distinguished for the most part by a robust but also very complex structure. These connectors are therefore complex and expensive to produce and fit. With electrically driven motor vehicles moving into the realms of series and mass production, the demands placed on the electrical connectors in the power transmission area are also changing. They not only have to be robust and ensure long-term and malfunction-free functioning over the entire life of the motor vehicle, but also have to be simple and cheap to produce and fit. Furthermore, the available space in a vehicle for a high-current electrical connector is often limited so that electrical connectors have to be small in size.